I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d end up writing about Avicii here on Apps Playground, but iPhone and iPad game Poplings has proved me wrong.
Released by developer FOAM Entertainment today, it’s not aimed at adult fans of the Swedish dance-music star – or, indeed the likes of Little Mix, Calvin Harris, JLS and Cheryl Cole who all join him on the game’s soundtrack.
Instead, it’s a colourful game for preschoolers – 2-4 year-olds – which its developers say is designed around two things: pop music and UK educational standards.
“Poplings immerses kids in the magical world of Pop, the planet where all music comes from. Children play through purchasable story-packs which feature fantastic 3D narrative driven cut-scenes and music,” explains its App Store listing.
Yes, that means in-app purchases, but of the manageable-by-parents kind: packs like Dad’s Timepiece Trouble and Shanty’s Deep Sea Disaster cost £2.99 within the app.
It’s a good idea, matching accessible gameplay for young children with tunes that their parents are familiar with, although the obvious caveat is that if you’re not a fan of the particular artists here, the app may not be as appealing.
I’m going to sit down and have a proper play with the game this week – I’m currently away at the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield, where I actually bumped into the developers yesterday – to see how it plays.
In the meantime, Poplings costs £2.99 for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store. Try it out, and let us know what you think by posting a comment. And, indeed, suggest what other songs and artists you might like to see feature in it.
Read about more music apps for kids on Apps Playground, and check out our 100 Best iPad Apps of 2013 e-book – £1.99 from Apple’s iBooks Store